Further Contribution To Biosystematics of Chenopodium, Reporting Three new Species from North Indian Plains

6 Pages·2003·3.6 MB·

by  S C Pandeya

.
FURTHER CONTRIBUTION TO BIOSYSTEMATICS OF CHENOPODIUM,
REPORTING THREE NEW SPECIES FROM NORTH INDIAN PLAINS
1
(With three text-figures)
S.C. Pandeya2’3 and Amita Pandeya2
Key words: Chenopodium adpressifolium sp. nov., C. sagittatum sp. nov.,
C. hastatifolium sp. nov., photonastic movements
Three new species of Chenopodium aggregate occurring in the north Indian plains have been
distinguished and described as Chenopodium ci> ressifolium sp. nov., C. sagittatum sp. nov. and
C. hastcitifolium sp. nov.
Introduction for observing any plasticity therein. In neutral
garden experiments, the plants collected from
Three new species of Chenopodium various habitats are grown together side by side
aggregate occurring in the north Indian plains under similar soil and climatic conditions in
have been distinguished and described as order to eliminate features developed due to
Chenopodium adpressifolium sp. nov., differences ofhabitat. The quantified description
C. sagittatum sp. nov. and C. hastatifolium of the three new species pertains to the neutral
sp. nov. Earlier Pandeya et al. (1998) have garden experiments.
communicated two new species ofthe genus from
the north Indian plains. Cltenopodiuni adpressifolium
&
Further, in both extensive and intensive Pandeya Pandeya sp. nov.
surveys over the last several years, three new
species of the genus Chenopodium have been Affinis C. album Linn. Sp. PI. 219, 1753.
distinguished from the north Indian Plains (alt. Differt a C. album Linn, f habitus, positus
100-250 m). All the three species are edible and foliis, folia crasso, marginemque laminae, folia
occur naturally as weed in winter crop fields, in photonasticus, nervo rosea.
gardens and other moist places. They start Herbae annuae, erectae. Herba m alta.
1
growing in November and flower from January Caule fibro, erecto, angusto costato, ramoso.
to April. Ecoclimate of the region is Tropical Ramosae longior ad 10-25 cm, longis basales
semi-arid and soils are Pleistocene with fresh rosettus. Folia ovatus, dentatus, marginemque,
alluvium of great depths. The specimens are laminae 3-5 cm to 1.5-3.0 cm, pubescentia in
deposited in Raja Balwant Singh College, Agra, primordiis, nervo rosea. Petiola 2.5-3.5 cm,
India. rosea. Inflorescentia spikus, pedunculata 18 cm
The three suspected species were put longum, brevis spikus 1-2 m ad folia axillaris.
through a Provenance Trial (neutral garden Flores perianthus 5, rosea. Stamina 5, longior
experiment) at Agra for three consecutive years quam perianth. Stigma pilosum, bifidis, brevis-
brunnea. Semina brunnea 1.26-1.30 x 0.61-
'AcceptedNovember, 2001
2Botany Department, 0.67 mm.
RajaBalwantSingh College, Holotypus 910 et positus Raja Balwant
Agra282 002, Uttar Pradesh, India. Singh College Agra, India, lectus Agra ad
’PresentAddress: E-104 MurdhanyaApartment,
Opp. Super Society, Nr. ISRO Colony, Ramdevnagar, February 26, 1999. Isotypus Ibid. S.C. Pandeya
&
Ahmedabad 380 015, Gujarat, India. A. Pandeya. Fig. 1
JOURNAL BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY 100(1), APR. 2003 87
NEWDESCRIPTIONS
5.0
Fig. 1: Chenopodium adpressifolium, a. Habit and maximum size of leaves, leaves turn crimson
during senescence, b. Filaments longer than perianth,
c. Purple perianth upon maturity, d. seeds with pericarp, e. seeds without pericarp
88 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY 100(1), APR 2003
NEWDESCRIPTIONS
An erect annual herbaceous plant. Starts Chenopodium sagittatum
&
growing in January, flowers in February/March Pandeya Pandeya sp. nov.
and senesces by April/May; Height up to m;
1
Stem fibrous and hard, somewhat ridged, Affinis C. moquianum Aellen.
greenish-red to purple striped, turning C. moquianum Aellen affinis, ab ea differt:
homogeneously crimson upon maturity; habitus, ramosa longior, folia gigantea, supra,
Branches limited up to 10 cm from the base, lobi, lamina sagittus.
m
decumbent, longest branch 20-25 cm; giving Herbae, annuae, erectae, 3.65 alta. Caule
mature plant a rosette at the base with intemodes erecto, roseo, basales circumference c. 12 cm.
2-3 cm; Leaves ovate, petiole and lamina in one Ramosa longior ad 65 cm. Folia petiolata c. 10-
line, erect, attached to the node at an angle of 12.5 cm longa, diam 21.5 cm, lamina sagittus
70-75° during day and completely adpressed at 17-20 cm x 10-12 cm, lobus 2-2.5 cm.
night (photonastic movement), petiole 2.5- Inflorescentia terminalis, spikus, bracts
3.5 cm, reddish-green; lamina olive green, veins lanceolatus, rosea, pubescentibus. Stamina 5,
reddish-green, dentate margin purple in mature equilongus perianthus. Stigma bifidus, longa
leaves, dentations sharp and pointing upwards, c. 0.64 mm, erectae, ovary diam 0.32 mm.
lamina 3.0-5.0 x 1.5-3.0 cm, 0.56-0.8 mm thick Semina nigra brunnea, diam 0.91- 0.96 mm.
and brittle, heavy mealiness on primordia, young Holotypus 911 et positus Raja Balwant
stem leaves and perianth, lamina and petiole turn Singh College, Agra, India, lectus Agra ad March
&
crimson upon maturity, terminal spike up to 12, 1999. Isotypus Ibid. S.C. Pandeya Amita
18 cm long, few small spikes (1-2 cm) in axil of Pandeya. Fig. 2.
upper leaves; Flowers- perianth 5, central vein An erect annual herbaceous plant growing
m
prominent; Stamens 5, longer than perianth, to 3.65 height, starts growing in January-
anthers coming out of flowers, feathery stigma February, flowers from mid-April and spikes fully
bifid, small, purple, seeds covered with pericarp mature by May end; Stem ridged, red-striped,
with a circular opening on the top, biconvex, disc- turning completely red up to apex upon maturity,
shaped, dark brown, 1.26-1.3 x 0.61-0.67 mm. circumference at the base up to 12 cm branching
Holotype deposited at Raja Balwant Singh throughout, branches straight, stiff and at an
College, Agra, India. No. 910. Fig. 1. angle of30-40° from the node, branches parallel
Etymology: The species has been named to each other in acropetal order, number of
so as its leaves get completely adpressed to the branches on mature plants 40-50. Several
stem during night owing to photonastic branchlets on each branch, longest branch up to
movement. 65 cm, when young red blotch on nodes; Leaves-
The specimen was sentto Prof. Pertii Uotila petiole at an angle of 35-40° to stem and lamina
of Finland. He (1997, pers. comm.) opined that 30° to petiole, at night both petiole and lamina
C. adpressifolium belongs to the group of become straight adpressed to the stem at an angle
C. album resembling in seed shape, size, and of 80-85°, lamina boat-shaped at night clasping
surface structure, as well as in the general shape the stem, exhibiting the photonastic movement.
ofthe leaves. The two species under discussion Petiole and lamina venation light purple, petiole
differ largely in their habit, position ofthe leaves, 10-12.5 cm long, diameter 2.15 cm lamina arrow
leaf size, leaf thickness and photonastic shaped (sagitate) with small side lobes pointing
movement of leaves in the former species. He upwards, lamina 17-20 cm long and 10-12 cm
was of the view that the taxonomy of C. album at the broadest part, side lobes 2-2.5 cm,
in India needs revision. sometimes bifid, young lamina greyish-green.
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Fig. 2: Chenopodium sagittatum a. Habit with acropetal branching, b. Maximum size of leaves, old leaves
,
turn crimson, c. Flowering branch, anthers coming out ofthe flowers, d. Crimson perianth upon maturity,
e. Seeds with pericarp, f. Seeds without pericarp
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heavy mealiness. Both petiole and lamina turn stigma longo, bifidus. Semina biconvex, diameter
crimson during senescence. Lamina 0.34 mm 0.96-1.02 x 0.56-0.61 mm, brunnei.
thick in vertical section, stele with both upper Hoiotypus 912 et positus Raja Balwant
and lower epidermis red in colour. Inflorescence Singh College, Agra, India, lectus Agra ad
terminal along with branchlets up to 15 cm long, March 15, 1999. Isotypus Ibid. S.C. Pandeya &
branches and branchlets bear up to 12 cm long Amita Pandeya. Fig. 3.
spikes, spikes and lanceolate bracts all turn An annual erect herb, up to 1 m, profusely
mm
crimson upon maturity ofseeds. Flowers branched (20-25 main branches), longest middle
1 . 1
across, perianth 5, connate at case, greyish-green branches 60-70 cm, starts growing in November-
when young, crimson upon maturity, heavy December, flowers from February-March, fruits
mealiness. Stamens 5, anthers dehisce soon after in March and senesces by April end. Stem
opening of flowers, filaments equal to perianth. greenish-red striped, ridged, circumference at
mm
Stigma bifid, purple and erect, 0.64 long base up to 2.7 cm. Leaves green, completely
above ovary, diameter 0.32 mm. Seeds disc- crimson upon senescence, 3- lobed, middle lobe
shaped, notched, blackish-brown, diameter 0.91- oblong 3.5 x 0.6-1.2 cm, with two dentations,
0.96 mm, width 0.6-0.61 mm. Holotype basal two lobes pointing upwards, 0.6- 1.8 cm
deposited at Raja Balwant Singh College, Agra, long, sometimes with 1-2 dentations, lamina 0.2-
mm
India. No. 911. Fig. 2. 0.26 thick with heavy mealiness when
Etymology: The species has been named so young. Petiole 3-4.5 cm long. Inflorescence
as it has a characteristic sagittate lamina margin. greyish-green, turning crimson upon maturity of
For this species Uotila 997, pers. comm.) seeds due to perianth changing to crimson,
( 1
opined that it might be close to a taxon called terminal spike 5-10 cm, several small spikes in
C. moquianum Allen. C. sagitattum can easily axil of leaves; Flowers-perianth 5, connate at
be distinguished from the said group on account base, central vein prominent. Stamens 5, equal
of its very large leaves. The leaves in C. to perianth. Stigma purple bifid, long and
mm
moquianum are small and resemble Chenopod. moustache-like, each arm 0.3-0.4 long.
Seeds biconvex covered with pericarp with a
Chenopoilium hastatifolium circular opening on the top. Seeds without
&
Pandeya Pandeya sp. nov. pericarp 0.96-1.02 x 0.56-0.61 mm, dark brown
with a small notch. Holotype deposited at Raja
Affinis C. ficifolium Sm. FI. Brit. 276 Balwant Singh College, Agra, India. No. 912.
1 :
(1800). Fig. 3.
C.ficifolium Sm. Affinis ab ea differt folia Etymology: The species has been named
tribus lobis obscuris, oblongo; foliis minuta, on the basis of its hastate leaf margin.
inferio. For this specimen Uotila (1997, pers.
Herbae annuae, erectae c. 1 m alta, comm.) is of the view that it is close to C.
rarnosae 20-25, longior rarnosae 60-70 cm. ficifolium although the leaf shape is not very
Caulis rosea green, stripus basales circumference typical of that taxon. However, the interspecific
c. 2.7 cm, folia 3-lobus, lobus oblongo, dentibus taxonomy ofthe species is not completely known.
- 2, lamina pubescens, petiolata 3-4.5 cm longa.
Inflorescentia terminalis, spikes 5-10 cm iongis, Acknowledgements
Folia basales spikes parvi. Flores parvi,
perianthus 5 basales connatis. Stamina 5 We thank Prof. Perti Uotila, Finish
acquilongis perianthus, purplish. Carpella- Museum of National History, University of
JOURNAL. BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 100(1). APR. 2003 91
NEWDESCRIPTIONS
Fig. 3: Chenopodium hastatifolium, a. Habit with maximum size of leaves, crimson old leaves,
b. Heavy mealiness on flowers, c. Bifid stigma with long arms, d. Perianth turns reddish upon maturity
Helsinki, Finland for critically examining the Department, Dayalbagh Educational Institute,
three specimens and giving his expert opinion. Agra for their cooperation and facilities,
We thank Prof. A.B. Bhatt of HNB Garhwal Dr. R.K.S. Rathore, Head Department ofBotany,
University, Srinagar (UA) for critically going RBS College Agra for discussions and Dr. R.S.
through the final manuscript, Dr. V.P. Bhatnagar, Parekh for permission to work on his farm at
Head and Dr. Anil K. Bhatnagar both of Botany Poiya Ghat, Agra.
Reference
Pandeya. S.C. Geeta Singhal & Anil K. Bhatnagar (1998): Biosystematic study oftwo new species ofChenopodium
from north Indian Plains. J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 95(3): 477-487.
92 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY 100(1), APR. 2003